I was fortunate to have the opportunity to sail on the Royal Clipper in the later part of the summer of 2009 joining the ship in Civitavecchia for their 10 day Mediterranean Cruise which encompassed a most interesting itinerary of diverse countries.

We departed Civitavecchia in the late evening for a comfortable overnight cruise to Ponza, one of the Pontine Islands just offshore and a popular vacation spot for wealthy Romans for generations.  I think one of the unique things for many travelers from the “New World” is the history that almost every, even the smallest town, is immersed in. History is everywhere you turn even in the small Pontine group of islands. Our stay was just long enough to give our cruise companions a taste of what was to come.

An overnight sail  south down the Mediterranean coast brought us to Capri in the morning, approaching from the East with the rising sun highlighting the cliffs, the upper town and the abundance of colors being picked out on the hillside villas only heightened our eagerness to go ashore and in my case, rediscover some favorite old haunts.

Being only our second passage on the Royal Clipper, I am happy to report that we had another most comfortable and quiet night at sea.  The ship is big, in fact very big for the type of vessel, she is the largest and only five-masted sailing ship built since her predecessor was launched at the beginning of the last century and capable of carrying 220 passenger, her design being based on the fastest sailing ship of her day – the Preussen, she does not disappoint.  The pleasure and indeed excitement in cruising on the Royal Clipper is to watch the wind fill her 42 sails, hear the strain and creaking of the sheets, the snap of her canvas as she barrels along on a stiff breeze.

And sail she does, leaving port it is an exciting moment that almost every passenger wants to participate in and we all turned our each time without fail to stand behind the bridge and watching her experienced Captain pick up the anchor and sail her out of a tight anchorage.  Watch the crew setting the sails, hear the crack of canvas filling and the strain of sheets been winched tight. During my time on board we sailed from every port of call.  Some passages where made completely under sail other due to the vagaries of the Mediterranean katabatic winds would leave us windless a few miles off-shore where we would have to resort to firing up the iron sail and heading off to our new port of call.

Our cruise made a different port every day except one when we had a day at sea sailing (yes – I did say sailing) across the foot of Italy to the Greek island of Corfu. Each port on our itinerary was unique and special, with the exception of Corfu and Venice all where ports of call you would normally only visit from a private yacht as they were small, unspoiled and unhurried town and cities, Ponza, Naxos/Taormina, Corfu, Kotor, Havar, Korkula, Rovinj and finally Venice.  Everyone a gem and everyone a photographers delight.

My day on-board usually consisted of rising at a reasonably early hour, checking out the sails, a brisk mile walk around the deck followed by a stop at the early risers breakfast corner where the usual group of husbands where extolling the virtues of their most recent shore excursion while their wives commandeered the bathroom.  A glass of juice for the wife and a turn in the shower before heading down to the dining room for a hearty breakfast, and I do mean hearty – not necessarily heart healthy - unless you exercised some serious restraint as breakfast was nothing less than a small banquet.  Hot American style breakfast with a choice of 7 items from the chasing dishes, an omelet station, and more French/Danish pastries and specialality freshly cooked breads than you can imagine.  If your taste ran to a more healthy breakfast there was a large selection of cereals, fresh fruits, yogurts as well as the northern European style of breakfast cheeses, sliced meats, herring and smoked salmon and so on seemingly endlessly. Coffee and tea where served by the dining room staffs that were very attentive, but sometimes when busy needed a reminder to keep the coffee flowing.

Generally, most guests disembarked to explore the day’s port of call or take the shore excursions offered. I am sorry to report however that the shore excursion did not measure up to the ship board experience, I think the problem was the ship ‘s passenger count is relatively small so there were not enough people signing up for tours that required a minimum number of participants consequently there were a few cancelled.  Other tours just where not up to snuff plus with a very mixed group of nationalities it was difficult to cater to the various language groups. But our Ports of call where more than interesting enough as well as small enough to managed on your own.

If you elected to take lunch on-board it was generally served in the dining room, but occasionally on-deck and mainly consisted of a very large selection of cold cuts, ribs, chicken and burgers, salads and vegetables with a different carving station each day or as sometimes happened an ethnic themed lunch.

Dining on-board was always open seating one could arrive at the dining room anytime during the hours they were serving and either sit with your friends or as sometime happened, the maitre de would suggest a table with like minded/language people so you quickly got to meet and make friends on-board. After a few days many small groups had formed friendships and not only ate together but shared taxi’s and shore experiences.

Dinners on-board where always a highlight of the day and served a la carte, every day the Chef de Cuisine would prepare a sumptuous 5 course menu with numerous main course choices, in the event you did not want what was offered there was always a choice of a steak or fish as well as a vegetarian main course.

For a preview of the dinner menu and its presentation, each evening, a display of the menu dishes would be set up in the Piano Bar. It's a great idea. Many people really appreciated being able to see exactly what they would get before they ordered.

Service as previously mentioned was attentive and many of the wait staff had a sense of humor and engaging personality quickly knowing your choices, likes and dislikes. The wine list was somewhat limited but not uninteresting with choices drawn from both the old and new world.

I found the ship to be quite fascinating and the thinking behind it equally so, there was no pretence at modernizing the vessel to make it look something it was not, on the contrary the ship was finished in the style and with the materials of its era… lots of brasswork, loads and loads of varnish everywhere, fixtures and fittings from the era of sail, and all done in a delightful manner.  A very clever idea which really brightened up the ship was locating the main pool (yes there are 3 pools) over the central atrium, The pool having a number of heavy duty glass windows allowed the light to penetrate all the way down inside the ship to the dining area below and made for a light and airy feeling even three decks down.

Staterooms where surprisingly spacious,  mine had room for a decent sized hanging locker (wardrobe for you landlubbers) a set of 3 draws (albeit rather narrow draws). A desk surface and a small settee as well as a rather old fashioned TV mounted on a shelf in the corner of the bedroom (I don’t think the TV was from the age of sail, but close all the same).  My comfortable bed was in fact two full size singles joined together, sensible from the point of view of convertibility.

The bathroom was a good size and could fit two people at a pinch, We had a shower, washbasin and water closet.  The bathroom itself was attractively finished in black and white marble.

About here I have to throw in a compliment.. the young lady who serviced our room and took care of our laundry and dry cleaning (in as much as she was prompt in taking it and delivering it next day (it’s an additional charge) was one of the most professional and personable cruise staff I have come across in many a year at sea. Nothing was too much trouble, even when we were “out late” she still showed up to do the turn down and sort out the shower etc. before we turned in.

During the duration of the cruise I had the opportunity to visit the other stateroom categories on board which consist of 114 cabins decorated in nautical decor with a pleasing mix of wood paneling, off-white walls, marine blue carpeting, bedspreads with nautical flags, and brass fixtures. They come in eight categories. A hair dryer, safe and standard toiletries are supplied are in all categories. Cabins are equipped with 220-volt outlets, plus a 110-volt shaver outlet. Bring a converter if you need to use U.S. appliances.

At the top are two, 320-square foot Owner's Suites, each with a separate sitting area and free minibar. Then come the 14 Deluxe verandah suites, the first on a sailing craft, at 255 square feet. The verandahs are furnished with a plastic table and chairs. Two 175-square foot cabins situated behind the library have no designated balcony space, though the cabin doors do open onto the deck. These cabins all have a whirlpool tub/shower in the bathroom, as well as a minibar and bathrobes.

Our cabin was one of the 90 nearly identical outside doubles, measuring 148-square feet. Each of these has two portholes and a shower-only bathroom. Lighting is excellent, which makes reading in bed easy (that's a good thing as there is no real armchair to sit in, only a vanity stool and an upholstered bench in one corner).

Some cabins feature a fixed double bed; most have twin beds that convert to a double. A third, pull down berth is available in a few cabins, but three in a room is a tight squeeze. Closet and drawer space is adequate for a casual, weeklong voyage. The bathrooms make great use of black and white marble tiling, though storage for toiletries is minimal. When the ship rocks, shower water sloshes over the entire floor, as there is only a tiny lip in the curtained-off stall. Not to worry, a secondary drain takes care of excess water. Bring your own bathrobe for these cabins.

The smallest cabins are six, 100-square foot inside rooms with quite plain bathrooms (no marble tiles).

There is a drawer under each twin bed. If you choose to have them made up as a double, only one drawer is accessible. Washers and dryers are not available for passenger use. Laundry and dry cleaning services are offered.

Royal Clipper has no elevator and no cabins designed for the handicapped. A doctor was on-board for our cruise but I understand he does not normally sail onboard except during trans-ocean crossings. There is, however, a nurse (who also waits tables).

The Tropical Bar on the Main Deck is the epicenter of the ship. It's a lively place from the very moment you board and enjoy a welcome cocktail always lively, day or night, and it's where the evening entertainment takes place outdoors, on the teak deck.

Going forward from here via one of the port or starboard entrance doors is the Piano Bar, complete with a white baby grand. The room opens to the three deck high atrium. In the warmer weather encountered in the Mediterranean and Caribbean this room is little used, as everyone hangs out on deck, it sees more action during cool or poor weather conditions.  The port side is a designated smoking area and the enclosed space can become quite smoky.

Aft of the Tropical Bar is the library. It's a cozy, air-conditioned place to read or play board games as it has comfy chairs and a faux fireplace. Bring your own reading material if you want to tackle anything heavier than secondhand novels in English, French and German which can be found in the library aft of the Tropical Bar.

An Observation Lounge located forward of the deluxe balcony suites rounds out the Main Deck public rooms. While offering a great view of the sea, it is filled with chairs in meeting room fashion and rarely used it is also the home of the internet café (using the term loosely) with one computer for Internet access (12 Euros per hour), but it does have wi-fi access for those with laptops.

Another under-used hideaway, this one below the water line, is the Captain Nemo Lounge. The room, which shares space with the gym and spa, is fitted with thick glass portholes so you can observe sea life when the ship is anchored. You can relax on a comfortable sofa and hope for fishy swim by or just read. It's very cool and quiet. Despite the gym equipment, the lounge has a nautical flavor with lots of brass, wood and leather. The low, mirrored ceiling enhances the feel of being in a submarine. There is no bar service.

The spa, beauty salon and gym share the Captain Nemo Lounge's underwater setting. Gym equipment consists of four treadmills, five exercises (three types) and six weight machines. Spa treatments include a 60-minute relaxation or Thai massage priced at 62 Euros. Use of the sauna is by appointment and costs 3 Euros per day. The facilities are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In reality, passengers get most of their exercise on the staircases, as the vessel does not have a passenger elevator.

The Main (Sun) Deck,  it is here that most of the sun worships head for as it is here toward the aft end under a billowing large awning (sun shade) that the crew set out deck loungers and beach towels. The Bridge is on this deck, and passengers can wander in and chat with the Captain most of the time.  A full 18,940 square feet of open deck and three swimming pools create a wonderfully spacious and expansive outdoor environment, two pools are only knee deep, they're round and look like hot tubs, but the water is not heated. The third pool is about four feet deep and not really large enough for more than a cooling dip. This is the glass-bottom pool that's above the dining room.

On port days, a marina platform is sometimes lowered from the stern. The array of complimentary water sports equipment includes sunfish, a banana boat, water skis, windsurfs and kayaks. Snorkeling gear is available for use at the beach, as swimming off the platform is not allowed. The ship carries a team of three sports staff one of whom is a certified PADI instructor who is happy to teach beginners and up the scuba ropes. The ship's most unusual and thrilling exercise is climbing the rigging.  Supervised "mast climbing" takes place several times a cruise, depending on weather conditions. If you don't like heights, climb out in the bow netting while the ship is under sail.

I was frankly surprised by the relaxed attitude which allowed passengers to intermingle with the deck crew while they were working, not a bad thing in itself but when they are hauling heavily loaded sheets and ropes and tackle lie around on the deck while they handle the sails, I wonder if it’s a wise thing to have the guests so close to the action.

On board entertainment is very much your Club Med style where Instead of traditional production numbers there are crab races, passenger talent shows and the occasional local guest performers all held in the Tropical or Piano Bar. I was surprised at how many of our “crew” really got into participating especially on Karaoke night, however most passengers find the real entertainment on the upper deck where many enjoyed an after dinner digestive or cup of coffee while billowing sails, starry skies and moonlit seas become the main source of entertainment.

Royal Clipper attracts a mix of ages, the average being 50 and up. On the whole they were an active, energetic and physically fit group. Most are seasoned travelers. Many have a sailing background. Royal Clipper inspires passionate loyalty among past passengers, and I understand there are usually a large number of repeaters (50 - 60 percent). On our cruise, there was a large contingency of Australians as well as a good mix of Europeans mainly of British, French and Germans origin although there were also passengers from South America as well.

While the dress code is naturally relaxed, shorts and T-shirts are not permitted in the dining room at night. The brochure encourages men to wear long sleeved shirts for dinner, but polo shirts are the norm. Women wear slacks or casual dresses. At all other times, shorts and T-shirts are the accepted uniform for crew and passengers alike.

When it comes to time depart and settle your account remember- the ship operates in Euros, not dollars. A tip of 8 Euros per passenger per day is suggested with five going into the wait staff pool and three for your cabin steward. Tips are generally placed in a box by the boutique near the purser's office, or you can add the amount to your onboard account. It is worth remembering that a 12.5 percent tip is automatically added to bar bills, this includes wine in the dining room.

Our final run home was suitably romantic.. can anything beat sailing (Yes, under sail) into the Grand Lagoon as the sun rises over the city of Venice.  Like almost everything on this cruise it was as near perfection as any human could hope for.

So any adverse comments… well as I sit here writing this I am seriously hard put to think of one..  yes there where time when service was a little slow. When our wine didn’t turn up until the second course.. but what the heck… this was the age of sail and if you’re in a hurry go cruise on one of those 3000 passenger monsters which deposit you in the middle of a commercial port amongst the containers and dust at each port of call.

Also, remember this is not a Seabourn or Silverseas experience, sure it has a similar passenger count but that’s where it ends.  This is a very different hand’s on experience which while it may not be for everyone it is still great value for money, far less than you would pay on the other lines mentioned and you still get to visit many of the same ports.

My one contribution to improve an already great experience would be to have a few real deck chairs around as there are few places to sit down except on a locker lid or a small bar stool at the Tropical Bar…maybe some cushions too for those over 50 rear ends that need a little padding.

Specification:

Crew: 106
Launched: 2000
Decks: 4
Tonnage: 5,000
Passengers: 227
Registry: Luxembourg

Site Inspection: Images 

Price noted are current as of 2009.